The HolocaustThe HolocaustOn a separate piece of paper, take notes as you go On a separate piece of paper, take notes as you go through the following slides and visit the websites provided. through the following slides and visit the websites provided.

When you are finished, write a paragraph (5-7 sentences) When you are finished, write a paragraph (5-7 sentences) which answer the following question:which answer the following question:

Could a tragedy such as the Holocaust happen today? Use Could a tragedy such as the Holocaust happen today? Use information from your notes to support your answer.information from your notes to support your answer.

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out--

because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me.

StereotypeStereotype: A simplistic, firmly held belief, often : A simplistic, firmly held belief, often negative, about individual characteristics generalized to negative, about individual characteristics generalized to all people within that group.all people within that group.

PropagandaPropaganda: The deliberate spreading of ideas or : The deliberate spreading of ideas or information, true or untrue, with the purpose of information, true or untrue, with the purpose of manipulating public opinion to gain support for one’s manipulating public opinion to gain support for one’s cause, or discourage support for anothercause, or discourage support for another

RacismRacism: a set of beliefs based on perceived “racial” : a set of beliefs based on perceived “racial” superiority and inferiority; a system of domination that is superiority and inferiority; a system of domination that is played out in everyday interactions, and the unequal played out in everyday interactions, and the unequal distribution of privilege, resources and power.distribution of privilege, resources and power.

Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism: Hostility toward Jews as an ethnic or : Hostility toward Jews as an ethnic or religious group, often accompanied by social, economic, religious group, often accompanied by social, economic, and political discrimination.and political discrimination.

What?What?Attempted genocide Attempted genocide --(Genocide is the destruction of a

national, ethnic, racial, or religious group)

- to create a “better Germany”- to create a “better Germany”

- for the world to be more pure- for the world to be more pure

- to create a “super race”- to create a “super race”

Who?Who?

Victims: (targeted groups)Victims: (targeted groups)

Jews, gypsies, other minorities, handicapped, Jews, gypsies, other minorities, handicapped, homosexuals, educated, Russians, Polish, communists, homosexuals, educated, Russians, Polish, communists, socialists, Jehovah’s Witnessessocialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses

Perpetrators:Perpetrators:

Nazis (political party) led by HitlerNazis (political party) led by Hitler

The S.S. (secret police) and Gestapo (S.S. The S.S. (secret police) and Gestapo (S.S. officials)officials)Collaborators: Collaborators:

Concurrent majority -those who agreedConcurrent majority -those who agreed

Bystanders – those that chose to do nothing to prevent itBystanders – those that chose to do nothing to prevent it

Why?Why?

Gave the Germans someone to blame for Gave the Germans someone to blame for their predicamenttheir predicament

United them in a common cause – a United them in a common cause – a common enemycommon enemy

A way for Hitler to gain powerA way for Hitler to gain power

People went along with it…. Collaborated People went along with it…. Collaborated on racial hateon racial hate

Many people didn’t know what was going Many people didn’t know what was going onon

Before the war began, boycotts, anti-Jewish laws, and persecution were meant to drive Jews out of Germany.

After Germany invaded Poland, Polish and Western European Jews were deported to ghettos.

Once Germany invaded the Soviet Union, German forces began to kill entire Jewish communities in an effort to find a “complete solution of the Jewish question.”

Hitler’s “Final Solution” to the “Jewish Problem was to murder every European Jew.

http://www.historyonthenet.com/Chronology/timelineholocaust.htm

FAQs

When did the “Final Solution” actually begin? While thousands of Jews were murdered due to discrimination by the Nazi’s, the

systematic murder of Jews did not begin until the German Invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.

Did the Jews in Europe realize what was going to happen to them?Since the Nazi’s did not publicize the “Final Solution” nor speak about it, and every attempt to fool the victims was made to minimize resistance, the European Jews were not aware of the Final Solution.

Also, the notion that human beings--let alone the civilized Germans-- could build camps with special apparatus for mass murder seemed unbelievable in those days.

How many died?  

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-statistics.htm

How many camps were there? http://www.shoaheducation.com/camps/statistics.html

How many camps were there? http://www.shoaheducation.com/camps/statistics.html

Why didn’t they fight back?  

http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/gallery/R1942Sum.htm

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/grobres.html

How many were saved by others?

http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/en/righteous/index.asp

What did the U.S. know?What did the U.S. know?

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005182http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005182

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/stlouis.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/stlouis.html

http://www.pbs.org/jewishamericans/watch/index.html (America’s http://www.pbs.org/jewishamericans/watch/index.html (America’s response to Holocaust)response to Holocaust)

On the same paper as your notes, write a On the same paper as your notes, write a paragraph which answers the following paragraph which answers the following question:question:

Could a tragedy such as the Holocaust Could a tragedy such as the Holocaust happen today? Use information from your happen today? Use information from your notes to support your answer.notes to support your answer.